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Topic: I have found an alternative...

This topic is old and might contain outdated or incorrect information.

Many people have been wanting to check out alternatives to Atomix, for whatever reason.

I have found what appears to be a viable alternative. I will be checking it out very soon, I am downloading it now.

I won't say what the program is until I have used it and have a good idea of whether it works or not...the blurb would suggest it is a competitor, but only experience with it will tell.

I am not trying to undermine Atomix or potential or existing customers, merely pointing out something which people have been enquiring about.

I'll get back to you all shortly, before I go, I will once again say - Atomixmp3 Team, give us some information...please.

MiXmAsTeR
 

Posted Mon 15 Oct 01 @ 2:42 pm
I finally jumped about a month back and went to PCDJ 5.1 which is rock solid under Windows 2000. The only reason I sometimes go back to AtomixMP3 is for the MT which PCDJ does not have..... yet.

It's a shame because when I first saw this package I was totally impreased but it is now so old and has real problems on my new hardware (it has real problems with the SB Audigy card).

PCDJ Red for me :)
 

Posted Mon 15 Oct 01 @ 4:13 pm
First of all, for the person posting a reply under my name - grow up and learn English.

Secondly, PC DJ Red - Been there and tried that, but I didn't really like it, although it is very professional and has many functions, I like auto-beatmatching, and PC DJ Red just doesn't have that, at least not a working one.

Thirdly, please delete this topic. Not just because of that idiot who posted pretending to be me - but because I have tried out the alternative program and found that the blurb isn't always 100% truthful...

The demo that I downloaded is the most restricted demo I have ever come across. Everything is disabled in it, including the auto BPM detection and the auto beatmatching. Not only that, but you cannot add any music files to it to play, you can only use the 3 tunes they have included with it. Since the tunes are shite and are nothing like the music I play, I have no idea how it would behave with my style. How in the name of God can you test a program that doesn't even let you play your own tunes?!

About the only things not disabled in this demo are the play and stop buttons. They say that the auto-beatmatching is disabled, yet you can click on the button and it will try and match the beats, assuming you have first manually set the BPM of the tune by clicking on a button on the console with every beat... If that really is the auto-beatmatching, then the program is not quite the "The ultimate Deejay player", as they claim.

There are two versions available for purchase. One is called the Home Version - $149 - This is the demo version (everything is disabled) but with a difference. For that $149, they allow you to add your own music files!! Can you believe that? I'm going to send them an email right now, telling them how great and kind they are.

The other version is the "Pro Version". Oh yes, you guessed it, this baby is PROFESSIONAL, just like they say. Not home - which is gay - but PRO - which is cool, and definitely worth the $599 they ask for it. Only $599 I hear you say in astonishment. Yes, a mere pittance for what must be the "ultimate Deejay player". Why buy a new car, when you could buy this terrific piece of software? This painfully over-priced version has every single feature enabled, not that you'll have any idea what the features are like or how well they'll work. You'll just have to buy it if you want to know if the auto-BPM is effective, for instance, but then who cares if it isn't, it's only $599.

The Home Version can be upgraded at a later date, by purchasing an upgrade kit, comprising of a dongle. In other words, the Home Version has all the functions available, they just need to be activated by the piece of hardware (dongle)they send you. If you upgrade to the Pro version this way, instead of buying Pro in the first place, you end up paying $619.

A dongle, for those who do not know, is a hardware device lock. It connects to your computer's parellel port and allows the respective software program to work. Without it, you cannot use the program. I will not go into all the problems dongles can cause and how much I dislike them.

I do, however, like the special effects, since I have not had them before (Atomix), and I prefer the crossfader control, it sounds smoother than the one in Atomix, and is infinitely adjustable, you can set the cross-over points wherever you like, etc. The sound quality is better than Atomix as well, but then show me a program that hasn't got better sound quality than Atomix...

Anyway, that's all I can be bothered to write, my eyes are still wet with tears after seeing the price of the software, I was laughing so much. Why listen to my opinions, why not visit the website, download the demo, and try it for yourself. I've only written all this because I said I would. Discosoft - www.discosoft.com.

Put your opinions in this topic once you have tried it. Oh, and by the way, don't bother downloading it if you are running Windows XP, it will not work.

All this would be unnecessary of course, if Atomix released the new version. As someone in the forum has aptly put it - 'Atomix is old now'. What more can be said?

Hope I have enlightened you all.

MiXmAsTeR
 

Posted Mon 15 Oct 01 @ 5:32 pm
Yan-XPRO InfinityHonorary memberMember since 2003
Mix mAster,
thanks for your message.

As you know we are working hard to release the version.
I don't understand why for you Atomixmp3 1.12 is "old" because in the others software I haven't noticed lot of new features recently .... but maybe do you think we have to release one version per month. Sorry it was not and will never be our priority.

The next version is not a simple upgrade for atomixmp3 1.12
For me it is a totally new proram with new features and others possibilities that you will see with your eyes, I hope, very soon.
 

Posted Mon 15 Oct 01 @ 7:19 pm
It's old because it's features were acceptable last year, but have been superceded now by other products. It really needs an equalizer, badly. I can't record my mixes because they sound so terrible with beats cancelling each other out. There are 101 other features that it needs and other programs have, and I know that most have been planned for the new version, but how does that help if we do not know when that version will be released?

I do not and will not understand why you can't give us a release date and a reason for the delay. As Mama said, you know the reason but cannot tell us. That is ridiculous.

If you say what I think you are going to say about announcing the release date, I suggest you read the messages that were posted whilst you were away. They were very good.

MiXmAsTeR
 

Posted Mon 15 Oct 01 @ 7:49 pm
How depressing is it to discover every time I check atomixmp3.com that it's still the ol'same one.
 

Posted Tue 16 Oct 01 @ 9:20 am
Yan-XPRO InfinityHonorary memberMember since 2003
The reason is effectively very simple but we can't say it for the moment cause it is commercial and professional reasons.

Not to "get more money" from you - as some people have said recently, you know it is not our politic, but because we need to take time to choose the best way for our society.

Besides, the release is no longer only a question of software, we have a new vision for our society and we need already a time to take time to take the best choices.

Hope now you will understand a little more better.
In some weeks, you will definitevly understand don't worry :)

----------------
NEWS OF 16/10

I have just received an email from the director with the last version of the RC (Can I call it a RC i think yes)
This one has fixed some little text errors, and others littles bugs. I will test it more deeper now to see if all works right :)

Last We are thinking to release an interview (not sure at 100% but why not ?): If you have questions, for the directors, or our team, we will be happy to answer it to the best way we can.

YOU can sent your questions to Yannick@atomixmp3.com but remember : please be polite, and respectful of our hard work even if we haven't release the new version yet :)

Hope youwill enjoy this new action of commuication from our society :p

Best regards and have a nice day!
 

Posted Tue 16 Oct 01 @ 1:21 pm
Right, let's start.
You first of all mention that you cannot issue a release date for commercial reasons. I fail to see any reasons, commercial or otherwise, for not issuing the date. I can only imagine it benefits Atomix financially in some way - we, the users, obviously do not benefit in any way, shape or form. Please do not tell me and others that it will benefit us, unless you explain to us how, right now and not, as you keep saying, after the release of the new version.

I know of no other company that does not issue release dates for it's software. A while back you were telling us the release date could not be disclosed for fear of once again failing to meet it. Please explain the commercial reasons behind the non-disclosure, I can't see how that would harm you commercially or otherwise. In fact, it would boost consumer confidence and Atomixmp3 sales.

Second point of interest; you say that Atomix can not disclose the release date for yet another reason, the reason being that Atomix is not only concentrating on software anymore. I gather from that, that Atomix will be thinking about hardware as well. Maybe Atomix is considering producing an mp3 player that allows you to mix mp3's as you play them, a device that you upload your songs to from the computer. A mini-laptop, if you like, that runs Atomixmp3 only, with a display for the visual representation of a song, and dedicated hardware buttons to replace the software buttons.

Again, I cannot see how this affects the release date. Hardware is, and should be, kept apart from software products. We are interested in the software side of Atomix, we should be concerned with the new Atomix version only, and not with any hardware devices or other plans Atomix has. If you plan to launch or create or publish a desire to create, a hardware Atomix device based upon version 1.2, it should not adversely affect your software consumers, as it is doing now.

Enough of the rhetoric, let's get some real information. We want to hear, in plain English, why we are being kept in the dark. It will not help telling us after the new version has been released, the harm would have already been done. And if the excuse or reason is not what we deem to have been acceptable or worthwhile or in our best interests, you will lose customer confidence, not to mention customers themselves, no matter how much you tell us it was for our benefit, we tend to make up our own minds - rightly or wrongly.

I hope I am being clear, I know it is an alien concept to you, but I like to air things clearly and succinctly. It would be a very good idea for you and Atomix to do the same. If you have trouble getting your exact meanings across in English, ask someone on here who speaks English as a first language and French as a second, to help you translate important messages.

I trust I will be hearing from you,

MiXmAsTeR
 

Posted Tue 16 Oct 01 @ 2:35 pm
It is good to see that we finally get some new information from the atomix team. An interview is an excellent idea. I've had it on my wishlist for some time now. From what I understand, Yan-X and the others, your job is to publish news on this site (if any), inform the developers of any user-requests, and to please the crowd. The last part of the jobdescription has clearly been the most difficult. Management has for some reason decided on total secrecy, making your job so much harder. But I hope that this interview will not just be boring questions about the atomixmp3-origin and the biographies of team-members. I would rather want to learn more about your visions of the future when it comes to atomixmp3 and your business philosophy. By that I mean I want to know why Atomixmp3-information is more "hush-hush" than the most classified information at the Pentagon.
I must say that I'm going to be a bit dissapointed in the atomixteam, if the delays of V1.2 are caused by the development of new hardware-devices. Surerly, there can be made two version; a SW-only-version and a SW-HW-version.

Still, it's good know that you are doing something.

keep up the w... ...whatever you are doing

- Jim Nordic
 

Posted Tue 16 Oct 01 @ 9:42 pm
Mixmaster,

You could not have said it any better. Clear, crisp, succint, direct, no BS, information is what Atomixmp3 customers need now.

I have been looking for alternatives, there are non yet out there, for what I find acceptable (for the price). BUT, this is a temporary situation. The window of opportunity will close up on Atomix. What they fail to see and understand is that they need to build up their customer confidence, before causing ireversible damage.

Your point about plain, simple, clear English for communication is excellent as well.

ZRocky
 

Posted Tue 16 Oct 01 @ 9:51 pm
I think we should give Yan-X quite some credit, as mentionned in a posting above.

Yan-X is the only "present & communicating" part of the Atomix Team we know, and even he only knows what he's being told (no offense Mama, Dams and all the rest, but I think he's one of the "more ancient" moderators here ;-)).

MiXmAsTeRs points are very valid, when referring to the commercial entity who's developping/marketing the product (and hence not to Yan-X in person).

I don't know where MiXmAsTeR got the "lead" on the hardware stuff, but from what Yan-X said it would be quite risky to deduct such scenario (not that it would be impossible).

It might as well - from my perspective - be about selling the assets to an interested and powerfull party or other "futureproofing scenario", or many of the other scenarios that might apply in regular business life.

And that is typically something we - customers - cannot ask to be informed about. I'm sure we'll find out in due time.

As a user, I'm looking forward to putting my hands on that new version such that I can *finally* use my hardware controller, which has been collecting dust since I finished it.

I'm sure going to take up on Yan-X's offer, and send him some questions.

Rgds,

DJ Corpse
 

Posted Tue 16 Oct 01 @ 10:11 pm
It wasn't so much a deduction as an idea I think would be worth looking into at some point....it would be good for DJ's who want to use Atomix, but do no have a laptop...a hardware device would be a good alternative if priced reasonably.

We will have to wait and see, by the looks of it, with regards to the reason for non-disclosure of the software update, then we can decide whether we had a right to know about it sooner or not...

I am still very much looking forward to the new version.

MiXmAsTeR
 

Posted Wed 17 Oct 01 @ 8:34 am
ZRockyHome userMember since 2003
I am not sure who in the Atomixmp3 team monitors these forums, I sure hope that they bring the sentiment of these posting to the attention of the business managers in Atomixmp3.

To me it seems that there is strong support for the product and its feature. At the same time, we are losing our patience, waiting....waiting....and then - some more waiting. I know that for me, the balance is nearing a decision, which might not be in favor of Atomixmp3. Competition is closing up on Atomixmp3. The business folks should be very aware and alert of that. It is up to them to keep the business alive and kicking. Communicaiton, through techie voices, is well intended, but far from satisfactory.

WAKE UP ATOMIX - before its too late. Please, we like your product, we want you to succed. Give us an indication that we are teaming up on this desires.

ZRocky
 

Posted Wed 17 Oct 01 @ 4:52 pm
To mix live, I think Atomix remains the only fully reliable software... Of course the other software companies increase the number of features of their soft, but they still are not stable.
 

Posted Wed 17 Oct 01 @ 8:55 pm
Yan-XPRO InfinityHonorary memberMember since 2003
NEWS OF 19/10
---------------

Hello users, thanks for your message !

The news are very good...
The authors have continued to debug the fatal errors our beta testers have shown and sent to me another versions...
So I can say now that they are working very hard.

Today I have tested the last beta and by luck, I have found another fatal error. I say "by luck", because if I find it now, it means that it will be removed from Your final version.

I'm waiting now for the new beta without his bug :)
-------

Another correction to say here: I have never talk about Harware controller developped NOW by our team. it is absolutely not our priority !!! I simply said we had new factors that can't allow us to talk about Atomixmp3 1.2 .

You know it is not MY fault, I just receive my *orders* from the authors. If they say "don't speak about this or that..." I have to respect this directive.

Besides, I have decided to talk you I had the luck to test the new beta to show to all our user we are alive, and that the devlopement continues at a faster speed than before.

See you in somedays with other news :)
 

Posted Fri 19 Oct 01 @ 8:34 pm
Thanks Yan.

Good luck with the newest beta, and lets hope that there are only few more "fatal" bugs in it.

Looking foreward to more good news. Please continue to keep us informed.

ZRocky
 

Posted Fri 19 Oct 01 @ 11:54 pm
Ok Yan, fair enough, you receive your orders and have to respect them, I tried in my last post to always to refer to Atomix and not you. Thank you for the latest information, it helps a lot.

As to the note in my message about a hardware controller, I did state that Atomix might be considering it for a future venture, but I didn't specify Atomix was working on it now. I gather from what you just said that it is an option Atomix is considering...

MiXmAsTeR
 

Posted Sat 20 Oct 01 @ 12:16 am


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